CLONAL CELL-LINES PRODUCED BY INFECTION OF NEOCORTICAL NEUROBLASTS USING MULTIPLE ONCOGENES TRANSDUCED BY RETROVIRUSES

Toward understanding the early molecular development of neocortical ne urons, we report the generation of two clonal murine cell lines derive d by sequential oncogenic retroviral infection of neocortical neuronal precursors. The resulting cell lines stably express the telencephalon -specific gene BF-1 and a gene enriched in the neocortical ventricular zone, vzg-1. They also express early neuronal but not glial markers, possess neuron-like processes without chemical synapses by ultrastruct ure, and appear pyramidal or bipolar with processes resembling apical dendrites, bifurcating and beaded axons, or growth cones. Immortalizat ion appears to have occurred through the expression of oncogene combin ations SV40 large T with vras or SV40 large T with both vsrc and vmyc. These cell lines may represent developing neocortical neuroblasts blo cked from complete differentiation, and they should be useful in the i solation and analysis of genes involved in early neocortical developme nt.